[10] In the 48 hours leading to the crash, the aircraft made 13 flights that included stops in Muan, Jeju Island, and Incheon, as well as to Beijing, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Nagasaki, and Taipei.

[12] Jeju Air initially said that the crashed aircraft was not involved in any prior incident, but data from the Korea Airports Corporation showed that in February 2021, the aircraft was damaged when its tail struck the runway during takeoff from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, for which Jeju Air was fined 2.2 billion won ($1.5 million) by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for violating safety regulations.

Amid criticism over the airline's omission of the incident, Jeju Air said it considered the event as "minor", which led to its exclusion in accident records.

[33] It continued 250 metres (820 ft) past the runway threshold and exploded after colliding with the berm supporting the instrument landing system localizer.

[32] Local residents said they saw flames and sparks originating from the aircraft's right wing and heard explosions and "metal scraping" before impact.

Local fire officials said that passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it hit a barrier at the end of the runway, leaving little chance of survival.

[74] On 8 January, the national assembly passed a motion to set up a parliamentary committee with two subcommittees, investigation and prevention, and families support and memorial projects, placed under the panel.

[80][81] On 11 January, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board stated that both the CVR and FDR had stopped recording four minutes before the aircraft crashed.

[85] On 7 January 2025, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board confirmed that Flight 2216 had experienced a bird strike after feathers were found on one of its engines.

[87][88] The airport was constructed near major bird habitats and feeding grounds, such as the Yeongsan lake and the mudflats of the southwest coast.

[90] The Chosun Ilbo reported that environmental impact assessments had recommended the deployment of sound cannons, lasers and warning lights at the airport, but their implementation was delayed due to runway extension work.

[92] Kim In-gyu, director of the Korea Aerospace University Flight Education Center, stated that it was unusual for all three landing gears to fail and that "it is difficult to conclude that a bird strike alone was responsible".

[93] Investigators found blood and bird feathers inside both engines at the crash site, which were identified as belonging to the Baikal teal, a species of migratory duck.

[95] On 6 February 2025, the South Korean government ordered all airports in the country to be fitted with bird detection cameras and thermal imaging radars beginning in 2026.

[93] After reviewing the footage of the crash, Professor Shawn Pruchnicki of Ohio State University commented that "A thrust reverser, used to slow the plane on landing, appeared to be in use on only one engine, which is unusual".

[4] Kim Kwang-il, a professor of Aeronautical Science at Silla University in Busan, South Korea, noted the short interval between the mayday call and the moment of the crash, saying that "The pilot likely judged that attempting a landing was safer than trying to stay airborne without engine power."

Other specialists expressed belief that the decision for a rushed belly landing was influenced by fumes entering the cabin and concerns about the engine fire, but that the failure to burn off fuel beforehand contributed to the severity of the crash.

[97] David Learmount, an aviation safety expert, pointed out on Sky News that the aircraft was "still intact" after it touched down and remained so until it struck the barrier, then added: "That kind of structure should not be there.

He added that even if the barrier was absent, the aircraft might have crashed into a steel navigation system or into a road or ditch beyond the runway, stating: "It would have hit that and the result would have been pretty much the same ... That was the final tragedy in a series of cascading errors and problems.

"[104] The Wall Street Journal reported in its coverage of the barrier issue that the United States recommends a larger runway safety area than the ICAO guidelines.

[106] On 2 January, the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency carried out "search and seizure operations" at Muan airport, a regional aviation office, and Jeju Air's headquarters in Seoul.

[108] Authorities also began conducting digital forensic analysis on 107 mobile phones recovered from the crash site following approval from families of the victims.

[114] Korail announced a dedicated KTX train service, departing from Seoul for Mokpo at 3:00 p.m., free of charge for the family members of the passengers to reach Muan airport.

Several attendees expressed anger for not receiving hourly updates promised by government officials, for not being allowed near the accident site, and for being given inconsistent reports on which passengers had died.

Many also expressed anger at Jeju Air for holding their press conference in Seoul, with no company officials present at the Muan Airport briefing.

[121] The government of Gwangju designated a week-long mourning period from 29 December to 4 January 2025, with several New Year events and celebrations being cancelled.

[132] On 30 December, authorities ordered the inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines and an expanded review into safety standards at Jeju Air.

[142] On 23 January, the government announced that it would tighten regulations on low-cost carriers and increase penalties for airlines failing to meet enhanced operational safety standards.

[143] Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, who had been impeached for his botched martial law imposition earlier in the month,[144] expressed his condolences through social media.

[151] Data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport revealed that Jeju Air experienced a 26.8 percent decline in its number of passengers in the week following the crash.